College Scholarships

We have millions of scholarships in our database, almost all of them specially tailored
to specific potential applicants based on criteria like GPA, ACT/SAT scores, athletic
ability, etc. To conduct a free college scholarship search,
please click here. For scholarships, contests & sweepstakes you can apply
for right now, in a matter of just a couple minutes, check out these offers:

Check Out The Scholarships Scholarships.com Offers While You Are At It

We do more than just help you find scholarships from others - we offer several of
our own, and it couldn't be easier to apply!

You Can Search For Scholarships Using Other Methods, Too...

Most college scholarships target incoming freshmen and undergraduates,
so the sooner you start searching for awards and applying for them, the better. If you’re a
high school student, add applying for scholarships to your already lengthy
list of things to do alongside college applications and standardized tests. Undergraduates that have received generous scholarships
to pay for their freshman year shouldn’t slack off come their second year on campus,
as many scholarships for freshmen are also open to upperclassmen as general scholarships
for undergraduate students. While scholarships for graduate
students are less common, they are often very generous, as many target particular
fields of study or are awarded by potential employers who want a better-educated
employee base. Conduct a college scholarships search
or browse through our site to see the scholarships by grade
level that you may qualify for, because no matter your year, you could be
missing out on dozens of opportunities to fund your education if you don’t try.

Some Examples:

Featured Scholarships

Niche $2,000"No Essay" Scholarship

For incoming college students who know exactly what they’d like to be doing post-graduation or have some experience
in a field they’d like to explore more, college scholarships geared toward particular
majors and fields of study are an excellent option.
Awards in high need areas like nursing and
education are particularly plentiful, especially if you’re interested in
working in a low-income community or location where those jobs are in high demand.
Be sure to look outside your college for scholarships by major, as many outside organizations
will have private scholarship funds set up to recruit college students into a particular
field. Conduct a college scholarship search
or browse through our site to see college scholarships by major that you qualify for.

Some Examples:

While sports scholarships are more competitive than
college scholarships based on other criteria, you don’t necessarily have to be a
star athlete to land a generous award at your intended college. Most sports scholarships will come
directly from your college if you intend to play on their team, but if you’re more
interested in playing a club sport or on an intramural team, you could qualify for
scholarships from local groups and outside organizations that award scholarships
based on criteria outside of your athletic abilities. Many of those awards will
look at things like
need,
community service and your academic record, so if you enjoy golf
but aren’t the best golfer on your high school team, don’t assume that you can’t
land a college scholarship. Browse through our suggestions for scholarships by sport,
or conduct a free scholarship search to find
awards you may be eligible for based on other criteria.

Some Examples:

One of the best places to start when conducting your college scholarships search
is your home state. Many of the most generous financial aid awards will come directly
from your college, and your base tuition will undoubtedly be much less at an in-state
public institution than at a college out of state, making it a very cost-effective
decision. If staying in your home state is an option for you, include that in your
criteria when you’re doing your scholarship search.
Look at what your local college could offer you, especially if you’re entering into
a high-need field like education or
nursing, and contact local organizations for private college scholarships
they may have set aside for incoming college students staying in-state. Browse through
our suggestions for scholarships by state, and tips
on how state assistance will help you start your career.

Chances are that whatever makes you unique and whatever talents or characteristics make you stand
out will correspond with at least one college scholarship opportunity. Whether you’re
a star athlete on your high school ice hockey team or
a returning adult student back in school for an advanced
degree, whether you speak another language or have survived a rare disease, you’ll
find an award that will not only fit your profile but give you a good chance at
landing some free money. Scholarships by type are often
much less competitive than awards based on need or academics,
for example, as fewer people are applying for them. So make a list of what makes
you different and what could make you stand out, and conduct a college
scholarships search or browse through our site to see many of the scholarships
you could be eligible for.

Don’t let popular misconceptions and scholarship myths
scare you out of applying for awards. Landing an award isn’t impossible, especially
if your scholarship search is focused on
criteria specific to your student profile, and it’s never too late to make yourself
a more attractive
scholarship applicant in the eyes of the judges who will be distributing
the awards. If you do your research now and learn about what it takes to win a college
scholarship, you’ll improve your chances of being awarded even the most competitive
scholarships. Browse through our site to see what you should watch out for before
sending in any applications, and remember that any scholarship search engines that
ask you to pay a fee are trying to sell you something
you can get for free right here. Start with our free college
scholarship search to find legitimate, generous awards to fund your education, and
don’t forget to let us know when you land that first prize.

What is a scholarship?

Scholarships are funds used to
pay for higher education that do not have to be repaid to the provider.
Scholarships may be awarded based on any number of criteria including academics,
achievements, hobbies, talents, affiliations with various groups or career aspirations.
They are available from federal and state governments, large corporations, local businesses, professional
organizations,
universities and individuals and each has its own requirements applicants
must adhere to to be eligible for the award. Our scholarship search can match you with the scholarships
for which you best qualify and have the best chance of winning.

How is a scholarship different from a grant?

Though the terms "scholarship" and "grant"
are often used interchangeably, there are a few difference between them. They are
both free money in that you never have to repay but in the majority of cases, scholarships
are awarded to students who are planning to attend or are already enrolled in some
form of postsecondary education. Awardees are often required to maintain specific
grade point averages, participate in certain activities or take a certain amount of credits per
semester to remain eligible for the scholarships they earned initially; failure
to adhere to these guidelines could result in suspension or cancellation of the
funding.
Grant recipients, however, do not necessarily have to be attending or planning on
attending college:
They often need the funds to finance research projects (recipients are expected
to create proposals and update the donors regularly to maintain funding) or, if
they are entrepreneurs or victims of natural disasters, require capital to help
start or rebuild their lives.

How is a scholarship different from a fellowship?

Like scholarships,
fellowships are considered gift aid and do not have to be repaid but they
are typically only available for graduate students to help support their educations. Some fellowships
include tuition
waivers or payments to universities in lieu of tuition but most include a stipend
to cover reasonable
living expenses.

How do scholarships differ from loans?

The main difference between scholarships and loans is that while scholarships do not require repayment,
loans do...with interest. Loans are awarded federally (Stafford, Perkins and PLUS) as well as privately (through banks and other lenders
like Sallie Mae) and can be either subsidized (no payments must be made while in
school) or unsubsidized (payments must be made while in school).

Will winning a scholarship impact my financial aid package?

It may. The government takes student awards into consideration when offering aid. However, students
should not be deterred by this. The effects are not likely to be great. Many schools
use student money to offset
loan eligibility, not grant awards. Students who receive little aid can
benefit greatly from
scholarships. Contrary to beliefs of certain celebrities, more money equals
fewer problems.

If I’m not eligible for financial aid, can I still receive a scholarship?

Yes, there are plenty of scholarships that aren’t based on financial need. Play
to your strengths: If you have a high GPA, apply for academic scholarships, if you’re a great writer, apply for
essay and poetry scholarships,
if you’re creative, apply for
art and design
scholarships...the list goes on and on. You could have your entire tuition
covered by scholarships if you do your due diligence, which means you’ll graduate
with zero student loan debt.

Why should I apply for scholarships?

The real question here is why shouldn’t you apply for scholarships? A scholarship
is free money for
college, money you don’t have to worry about paying back so you can spend
more time on your classes.
You’re being awarded money for college for something you’re already good at – whether
it’s your grades,
athleticism, creative ability or tech savvy – so why not take advantage of it? So many
students don’t want to
apply for scholarships because they don’t think they stand a chance of winning
but in reality, applying for scholarships that match your specific criteria (like
the ones our scholarship search
will match you with) increases the odds of receiving a scholarship award exponentially.
Scholarships can paired with all kinds of financial aid to cover the cost of books, supplies, room and board, even entire tuitions but you will
never know if that’s possible unless you apply.

What are the odds of winning a scholarship?

It depends on the scholarship you’re applying for. National scholarships will obviously
have larger applicant pools than state- or major-specific scholarships but they are all judged on specific
sets of requirements. If you follow the criteria, you will have a better chance
of winning than someone who doesn’t; the same goes for students who observe deadlines versus
students who submit their applications late. You won’t win a scholarship because
of who you know; you’ll earn it based on how well you follow directions and the
caliber of your responses.

Can I win multiple scholarships?

Yes, but typically not from the same scholarship provider during the same award year. If you’re
applying to more than one scholarship, though, be sure to keep your applications and their unique
requirements organized: Sending the wrong materials to the wrong scholarship committee
can guarantee you won’t be receiving those funds for college.

Am I still eligible for scholarships if I am not a full-time student?

This varies from scholarship to scholarship. Some awards require students to be
in school full-time, others are valid for students attending part-time and others
are offered specifically to individuals who aren’t currently enrolled but plan to
return
to school in some capacity during the next semester.

Can I win scholarships if I attend an online school?

This depends on the school and scholarship provider. A great place to start your
search is Scholarships.com, where our scholarship search presents awards meeting your exact criteria,
or contact your
school directly and inquire about scholarship opportunities available only to students (this
smaller applicant pool will increase your odds of receiving the award).

Where can I find scholarships?

You’ve already found your way to Scholarships.com, where you can fill out a profile
and have access to the 2.7 million scholarship awards in our database, so that’s a great start!
For additional awards, speak to your guidance counselor, financial aid officer, volunteer coordinator,
coach, employer or parents’ employers. Scholarships are distributed by large
corporations like
Google and local businesses alike – the latter of which you may have a better
chance of winning since the recipient will be drawn from a smaller applicant
pool.

I’m not a strong writer. Will I have to write an essay for every scholarship I’m
applying to?

While the majority of scholarship application processes entail some kind of essay
to assess applicants’
writing skills, not all providers require one. Keep in mind that scholarships
that do not require
essays can be more competitive or have additional guidelines to ensure the
right students apply. If you’re having difficulty finding an essay-free scholarship,
peruse our "Scholarships
by Type" section for
easy scholarships or increasingly popular video scholarships, where applicants produce short
multimedia pieces instead of writing traditional essays.

Who should I ask to write me a letter of recommendation to accompany my scholarship
application and when should I ask them?

Teachers, coaches, employers or volunteer supervisors are all excellent choices
to pen
recommendation letters because they can detail your strengths and achievements
in ways that appeal to scholarship committees. Do not ask parents, relatives
or friends close to your own age because even though they may know you better personally,
these references will carry less weight than a professional source. As for when
you should request their assistance, do so well before the application deadline.
Chances are your letter isn’t the only one they’ll be writing so asking in a timely
manner is not only appreciated but will likely yield a more thoughtful finished
product.

When should I start applying for scholarships?

The sooner the better, of course! Eligibility requirements vary between awards –
you must be a high school senior, you must be a college sophomore majoring
in computer
science, you must be under the age of 30, etc. – but one thing is for sure:
You won’t receive a scholarship if you miss the deadline. Make sure your application
packet is complete at least two weeks before the deadline; this way, if it gets lost in the mail or the website
crashes, you will have enough time to resubmit your materials.

My schedule is packed. Can my parents apply for scholarships for me?

Your parents can certainly help you throughout the process but since you are the
one the scholarship will be awarded to, you must be the one to fill out the application,
write the essay, complete necessary supplements and sign the
appropriate forms. Your parents can assist you in securing your transcripts and even
stamping your envelope but if it’s determined that they did the bulk of the work
for you, you will be ineligible to receive the award.

I have a question about the application process/award/requirements. Is it ok to
contact the scholarship provider directly?

This should be detailed in the scholarship’s rules, regulations and guidelines.
The scholarship
provider may have the answer to your question but if they have a strict
"no call" or "no e-mail" policy, don’t call or e-mail. Instead, speak to your
guidance counselor or financial aid officer; they’ve probably encountered
the same questions in past years and will be able to give you an answer...or point
you in the right direction toward one.

Will I have to pay an application fee?

Scholarships.com does not list any scholarships that require any sort of application
fee but there are some scholarships out there that might. It’s ultimately your decision
whether or not you want to apply for a scholarship that charges you to do but use your
best judgment: If the scholarship is for $500 and you must pay a $100 fee to submit
your application, is the now-$400 award (which you aren’t even guaranteed to win)
worth it to you?

How do I know if I’ve won a scholarship?

Someone from the scholarship committee should contact you directly via phone, e-mail
or snail mail by a specific date so it’s essential to make yourself available as
that time draws closer. The funds will then be sent to you or the school you will
be attending during the next semester. If someone from a third-party organization
claims they need personal information (Social Security number, bank account numbers,
etc.) to complete the award process, it could be a scam; get as much information about the solicitor as possible
without divulging your details and contact the scholarship provider directly to
determine your next step.

Will I have to reapply for this award each year I’m in school, like the FAFSA?

Scholarships usually come in three varieties: one-time, renewable and renewable with stipulations.
One-time awards are granted – you guessed it – only once while renewable scholarships
are granted each year. Some are dispensed automatically each year after the initial
award but most
renewable awards call for the recipient to reapply or provide transcripts and progress
reports to ensure they are still meeting the guidelines set by the scholarship committee.
If you were awarded for your stellar grades or athletic achievement, a low GPA or nonparticipation on
a university team could call for your award to be discontinued so check with your
scholarship
provider to determine what kind of award yours is and what you need to do
to keep the funding coming.

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